Samuel j



(No Model.)

s. J. & L. L. WRIGHT.

' Flood Gate.

No. 243,030. Patented June 14,1881.

UNITED, STATES SAMUEL J. WRIGHT AND LOFTUS L. WRIGHT, OF MINERAL POINT, WIS.

FLOOD-GATE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 243,030, dated June 14, 1881. Application filed December 15, ISBOI (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, SAMUEL JAMES WRIGHT and LOFTUS LLOYD WRIGHT, ofMineral Point,in the county of Iowa and State of Wisconsin,haveinvented a new and useful Improvementin Flood-Gates,ofwhich the following is a specification.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improvement closed. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the improvement opened. Fig. 3 is an end elevation.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The object of this invention is to construct flood-gates in such a rnanner that they will be opened automatically should the water rise above a fixed height, and that the gates, when opened, will ofl'er no obstruction to the passage of floatwood or other rubbish.

The invention consists in constructing a flood-gate of a gate hinged to a sill in such a manner that it will rest upon the upper side ofthe sill when closed, and when open will be below the level of the upper side of the said sill, and a weighted lever having a bucket attached to its lower end and connected with the gate by a chain, whereby the gate will be held against the ordinary pressure of water, but will be opened by a flow of water over the top of the gate, as will be hereinafter fully described.-

A is a sill, which is laid at low-water mark to support the flood-gate. The flood-gate B is connected with the sill A by hinges O, which are attached to the down-stream side of the gate B and of the sill A. The hinges U are attached to the side of the sillA in such a position that the gate B,when turned down oropencd, will be below the upper surface of the sill A, so that the gate will offer no obstruction to the passage of rubbish, and will serve as an apron to protect the foundations of the sill from the action of the water. When the gateB is turned up or closed its lower edge rests upon the sill A, and it is held against the pressure of the water by a lever, D, which rests upon the notched upper end of a bar, E,attached to the upstream side of the gate B, with its upper end projecting above the upper edge of the gate B. To the lower side of the down-stream end of the lever D is attached a board, F, and to the lower edge of the board F and the end of thelever D is attached a narrow board, Gr, the boards F G forming a bucket to receive overflowing Water. The leverD is connected with the gate 5 5 B by a short chain, H, the lower end of which is secured to the gate B a little below its center. The upperendof the chain H is connected with the lever D by a staple driven through i the board G and into the end of the said lever D, or by other suitable means.

To the up-stream end of the lever D is attached a weight, I,of such a gravity as to hold the gate B erect, or closed against the ordinary pressure of the water.

With this construction, should the water rise so as to flow over the upper edge of the gate B,the overflowing water will be received upon the bucket F G and will tilt the lever D over,

so that the pressure of the water will force the gate B down or open, and allow the water to flow off freely.

Having thus fully described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A flood-gate constructed substantially as herein shown and described, consisting of the hinged gate B, the weighted lever D, the bucket F G, and the connecting-chain H, operated as set forth. 8o

2. In a flood-gate, the gate B, combined with the sill A, as set forth, so as to rest upon the upper side of the sill A when turned up, and to be below the level of the upper side of the said sill when turned down, whereby the gate when turned down will be out of the way of floating rubbish, and will serve as an apron to protect the foundations of the sill.

3. In aflood-gatathe combination, with the hinged gate B, of the Weighted lever D, the 0 bucket F G, and the connecting-chain H, substantially as herein shown and described, whereby the gate willbe held closed against the ordinary pressure of water and will be opened should the water rise and flow overthe gate, as set forth.

SAML. .J. WRIGHT. LOFTUS L. WRIGHT.

Witnesses:

J. J. HANSCOM, (l. W. WRIGHT. 

